Apparatus for the manufacture of articles from plastic materials



May 30, 1939. w. J. MILLER .APPIJUVIUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLESFROM PLASTIC MATERIALS Original Filed Jan. 26. 1927 2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 r:M t N3 MW M MR MW ETQ J 0 a W m in m3 9 m8 Hw *2 i no 81%: u 00 o M Bmm w: w@ 3 QQQ N QM D nma. a mun 1 Tnn.. q mu 5 mm om Q a v u m ha u vmN0 n 8 L Mn o o y 8N 0. v 8w 'May30,1939.' I WWLLER' 2,160,484

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM PLASTIC MATERIALSOriginal Filed Jan. 26, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 IN VENT OR I ATTORNEYPatented May 30, 1939 1mm STATES .iArsNT oFFicr:

APPARATUS FOR THE ARTICLES FROM PLASTIC MATERIALS William J. Miller,swillvale, Pa. Substitute'for' abandoned application Serial No.

168,740, January 28, 1927. This application April 8, 1935. Serial No.14,442

, 5 110mm. My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture ofarticles from plastic materials,

copending application forpatcnt therefore, Serial Number 14,446, filedApril 3, 1935.

This application is a substitution for applica-' tion 163,740,filed-January 26, 1927. This invention has to do with the manufacture ofsemi-vitreous or vitreous clay ware, particularly such articles asplates, saucers, cups, bowls, 'etc., from plastic 'clay commonly knownas dinnerware and heretofore manually jiggered on a conventional potterswheel. I

The objects of my invention are, to provide a -horizontal conveyor formoving mold carriers through a fabricating plant comprising feeders ofmaterial on to molds, to form a charge thereon, for having the sameshaped into ware, preforming tools, for initially and .partly shapingthe charge, preliminary to having said charge shaped by jiggers, and oneor more jiggers for' finally shaping said charge; to provide a perfectedmechanism for automatically removing and transferring carriers-from thejiggers or from a horizontal conveyor which is adjacent to the jiggersand loading them onto an endless conveyor having thereon multiplewinding branches,

to convey the carriers through suitable treating chambers, such asdryers, etc.; to provide an automatic unloading means for the carriersfrom the last mentioned conveyor; to transfer the carriers from the lastmentioned endless conveyor to a horizontal conveyor, to pass themthrough an apparatus for printing designs or ornaments on. the wareafter it is dried and through various other operations such assmoothing, swabbing, etc.; to have the mold carriers readily replaceablefor repairs and inspection without stopping thev operation of themachine; to provide another endless conveyor for removing the carriersafter the ware'has been emptied therebranch of an endless conveyo It isalso a diagrammatical view of a complete conveying system of afabricating plant in connection wit the sundry tools of the same.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view showin the application of theloading and unloading means of my mechanism for conveyingmold carriersto diagonally suspended conveying trays or pallets. v

Figure 3 is fragmentary detail view of another 2 form of loading means,which forms part of my mechanism for conveying mold carriers.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side view of a detail of a modification of apart of my mechanism for REISSUED- conveying mold carriers, which ishereinafter described. I V

Figure 5 is an end view of the tray orpallet" which is shown in Figure4.

6 and 7 are detail views of a conveyor hook.

ll designates a power shaft, shown in Figure 1 as revolvably mounted ona bracket l2, extension on the frame li'of the machine.

A positive cam 14 is adjustably secured to shaft II by means of a setscrew, in contact .with a roll I5, pivotally connected by means of a pinit to one of a pair of oscillating arms ll; the latter are adjustablysecured'to a spindle l8, revolvably mounted in interchangeable openingsI90 in bearings 20. I

Multiple openings l9 are provided at the lower ends of arms ll; some ofthese openings 19 are situated opposite openings l9a in bearings 2ll,and serve to vary the position of. spindle l8 with relation to arms I!and bearings 2li thereby varying and adjusting the angle of oscillationof arms I1. I

The upper ends of-arms I! have each pivotally connected thereto by meansof a pin an extensible latch 2 I, 22, which consists of two parts: 2|and 22 adjustably connected to each other by a screw thread 23 on part2! and a corresponding threadedopeningin part 22.

A stop 24 on each of said arms ll limits the drop of said latches 2l22.

A horizontal flexible conveyor 26 is shown in Figure 1 as carried bydrums. 2'l, revolvably mounted by means of spindles 28 on frame 13.

Conveyor 28, may consist of either one wide belt, provided with openingstherein, for chucks of reciprocating jiggers to pass therethrough, or ofa pair of narrow belts or chains, spaced same distance. apart from eachother, for the same purpose. 1 1

The extensible latches 2l,-22 may be employed for engaging trunnions 32on mold carriers 29, intermittently to propel the latter with conveyor26 from left to right in Fig. 1; carriers 29 rest on the conveyor bygravity and carry it along therewith by friction when carriers 29 aremoved The conveyor 23 is employed to support ,the mold carriers 23 andthe latter are conveyed thereon above described to feeders. 3i, em-

ployed to apply a charge of material '33 to molds 63 such as describedin my United States Letters Patent No. 1,703,316; from the feeders 3ithe mold carriers 23'may be conveyed byconveyor 26 to any other tools ordevices, such as preforming dies or tools 32, which initially spread andshape the charge of material 23 on the molds 63 preliminary to saidcharge being finally shaped by jiggers 33, as described in my UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 1,769,528.

From said preforming tools 32 the mold carriers 23 are conveyed byconveyor 23 to one or more jiggers 33, to have the material on the moldsshaped by the jiggers, as described in my United States Letters PatentNo. 1,757,132.

The carriers 23 may be-brought on conveyor 23 intermittently to be movedinto position over jigger 33 by means of latches 2i-22 and trunnions 32on the sides of said carriers 23, substantially as described in myaforesaid co-pending application, except that the carriers "23 may bemoved along with said conveyor 26 on which they rest by friction. I

Fig. 1 discloses flexible members or chains, forming a conveyor 33,disposed in parallel vertical planes and engaged by pulleys or sprockets34, 33, 33, 31, 33, 33, and I3 which are adjustably secured to shafts43. and 43a revolvably supported by bearings on frame i3. The adjustmentof the pulleys or sprockets on their shafts enables the maintenance ofthe alignment of the chain hooks 33 on and prevents the accumulation ofslack in any one part of the same.

The sprocket bearings may also be adjustable heightwise to take up theslack in the chains 33.

A ratchet 42 is secured to shaft 43, Fig. 1 for intermittent actuationby a pawl 43, pivotally connected to a link or strap 44, swivelledon-shaft 43 the teeth of the ratchet are preferably spaced to move thechains 33 a distance equal to the space between two successive hooksthereon.

A plate spring 43, secured at one end to strap 44 p w with the other endon pawl 43, to keep the latter in engagement with ratchet 42, to turnshaft 43 intermittently and actuate conveyor 33.

An adjustable connecting rod 43 is pivotally connected at one end to oneof the arms I! by a pin 41 located in one of the, openings i3 in arms i7and at the other endby means of a pin 43 to the end of strap 44.

The pin 48 may also be employed for pivotally connecting pawl 43 tostrap 44, if desired.

The connecting rod 43 serves to transmit motion from arms I1 to ratchet42 and shaft 40. Fig. 1 and consists of two parts with flanges 3iadiustably connected to each other by means of a turnbuckle 43, forvarying and adjusting the 'position'of strap 44 with the pawl 43 thereonwith relation to sprocket 35, thereby varying and adjusting the positionof strap 44 with the pawl 43 thereon with relation to sprocket 35,thereby varying and adjusting the phase of motion of conveyor 33 withrelation to arm I! and the latches 2l22.

The shaft 43 with the ratchet 42 thereon may also be actuated by anoscillating arm and cam, which are independent of' arms I1 and cam i4,thereby making the motion of said conveyor 33 independent of thehorizontal motion of carriers 23 on conveyor 23.

By means of the arrangement and disposition of parts shown in Fig. l theconveyor 33 will be at rest when latches 2l-22 will be moving carriers"in the direction from left to right in Fig. 1, and carriers 23 will beat rest when conveyor 33 will be in motion as is evident from the drawings.

To keep the ratchet 42 from overhauling or turning back, when the pointof unloading of said carriers 23 from conveyor 33 is considerably higherthan the point of loading of carriers 23 onto the conveyor 33, I providea pawl 33 pivotally connected by a pin II, to the bearing ll of shaft43.

- A plate spring 32 is secured at one end thereof to bearing 4i, theother end engaging pawl 53, to keep it in engagement with ratchet 42.

Hooks 33 pivotally connected by means of spindles 34 to conveyor 33 tomove therewith are maintained in the position shown by gravity.

Troughs 33 form extensions of hooks 33, to engage trun'nions 32 oncarriers 23, as the branches of/the chains of conveyor 33 are movingupwardly alongside of trunnions 32. When carrlers 23 are lifted by theaction of hooks 33 engaging the underside of trunnions 32, they arecarried by conveyor '33 to any required destination, such as dryingchambers, to be unloaded at a point (Fig. 1) situated at an elevationwith relation to the conveyor 26 which is sufilciently high to preventoverrunning of the'conveyor 33 on sprockets under the influence ofgravity.

when the point of unloading of carriers '23- from conveyor 33 isconsiderably higher than the point of loading of the carriers onto saidconveyor 33, the tendency of conveyor 33 may be to overhaul or turnback, which tendency will be counteracted by said pawl 50.

The direction of the motion of said flexible members or chains 33 isindicated by, arrows in Fig. 1. s

Another horizontal conveyor 33 is carried by drums 31, mounted onspindles 33, pivotally connected to frame i3.

The conveyor 36 intercepts carriers 23 from downwardly moving hooks 53on an adjacent branch of said chain conveyor 33, to pass them throughsuitable tools, such as a printing tool 32 and under a blast pipe 33 orto and through such device as hereinbefore mentioned for swabbing,sponging, finishing, etc., the ware as described in my United StatesLetters Patent No. 1,751,043.

The endless conveyor 33 and the hooks 53 thereon continue in their cycleof motions picking up mold carriers from the conveyor 23 and depositingthe same onto the conveyor 33 after having conveyed the mold carriersthrough any required treating chambers, such as dryers.

When the carriers 23 are to be unloaded from conveyor 33 at some point,which is situated at a considerably lower level than conveyor 23, theconveyors 33 may tend to overrun, when the friction of the chains isinsuflicient to balance gravity of the carriers, the ratchet 42 with thepawls43 and 50 may then be aided by positive clutches, if desired.

The tendency to overrun in the above case may also be overcome byadjustable pressure friction brakes applied to the sprockets of conveyor33 or to auxiliary pulleys mom of the sprocket shafts 43 or spring 32,may also be made powerful enough to cause pawl 33 to act as a one waybrake on ratchet 42.

Another pair of oscillating arms 33 is pivotably connected by means of aspindle 3i in multiple interchangeable openings I3 in arms 33 tostationary bearings 32, which also have multiple openings 19 therein;and arms 99 are actuated by means of a connecting rod 93, which consistsof two ections, adiustably connected to each other by means of aturnbuckle 39. The rod 93 ,is shown in Fig. 1 as pivotally connected atone end to one of the arms I1 by means of a pin- 94 and at the other endto one ofthe arms 99 by a pin 93 and interchangeable openings 94 in oneor both arms 99.

Extensible latches 2I--22 are pivotally connected tothe upper ends ofarms 99, to act on trunnions 32 of mold carriers 29, situated onconveyor 96, to move' mold carriers through any additional tools, suchas a printing apparatus 32 and a blast pipe 33, Fig. 1, thereupon tobring them, with the trunnions 32 thereon, within reach of hooks 53,pivotally connected to another pairof endless flexible conveyor chains99, carmolds thereon are conveyed by conveyor chains 7 also be actuatedby an oscillating arm andcam I 99 in-the direction indicated by thearrows, Fig. 1 and deposited onto the. horizontal conveyor 26, therebycompleting the cycle of operations.

The flexible conveyor-- chains 99 are actuated by a connectingsrod I92of adjustable length, as

shown, which ispivot'ally connected to one of arms 99 by pin I93 locatedin one of interchangeable openings 19 in arms 99, and to a link I95 bypin I94, the strap being swivelled on one of said shafts I9I. I

A pawl I96 pivotally connected to link I95 intermittently engages aratchet I91, secured to shaft I9I adjacent to strap,l96. A plate springI98 maintains pawl I96 in engagement with ratchet I91. The spring I98may besecured to link I95 and engage pawl I96. A brake may be providedto prevent either overrunning or overhauling of said chains 99. Theshaft I9I'with the ratchet I91 thereon may which are each independent ofarms 99 and cam it if desired thereby making the motion of said conveyor99-independent of the horizontal motionof carriers 29 on conveyor 96.

Optionally, other means for moving conveyors 33 and 93 may be employed,and, if desired, a conveyorother than a chain conveyor employed. Thehooks 53 may be replaced by other engaging members, or the shaped thehooks changed.

The conveyors 33 and 99 may also be otherwise.

than verticaLand the support for the carriers 29 may be otherwise thanhorizontal, ii desired also, the horizontal conveyors 26 and 96 may beomitted, and the mold carrier 29 fed to stationary tracks.

In the modification shown in Fig; 2 hooks 53 are connected to flexiblemembers I21 engaged by pulleys or sprockets I26, situated in parallelvertical planes and .with their axes parallel to each other and in thesame horizontal plane,'but not in alignment.

By these means, diagonally hung mold carriers or pallets may besupported by the chains I21 and hooks 53 or other connecting means maybe employed in connection with the chains 121 deposited by the stirrupsI29 on toa horizontal conveyor in the same way as by hooks 63. I

In modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, 1 provide a set of stirrupshaped hangers I99 to support the carriers 29. The hangers I99 maybepermanently and rotatively connected to chains 33 or 99 and the carriers29 moved oil the hangers I99 andonto conveyor 93 by one or moreextensible push blocks II9, III, Fig. 4, adjustably connected to eachother by a thread H3 and pivotally connected to a pair of oscillatingarms 2, which may replace arms 99 and be placed with their bearings 92-forwardly of conveyor 96, or to the left in Fig. 1, and be actuated byconnecting rod 93, as described.

A platform. I23 is provided atone end of conveyor 96 for receivingcarriers 29 from hangers I99 to pass them on to conveyor 96 as shown inFig. 4; When the hangers I99 are employed on chain 33, the arms I I2 maythen replace the arms I1 and be placed forwardly of the conveyor 26. Thepower shaft II with the cam l4 thereonmay be iournaled as at H4 inbracket I2 forwardly of its position when actuating the arms I1.

I Mold can'ier trunnions 32 in Figs. 4 and 5,

adapt the carriers 29 to a system of conveying as shown inFig. 4 to asystem as shown in Fig. 1.

Many other changes may be made in the de-- tails as shown in thedrawings; but I intend to include also all mechanical equivalentsandobvious modifications of the same within the scope of my invention.

The present application provides for a system of manufacture ofdinnerware from clay mass to' I finished ware ready for the bisque kiln.The

molds, which are of the absorbent type normally are arranged on thecarriers in side by side and definite positioned relation, the carriersbeing opened and apertured in their bases to permit the elevating chucksat the feeding, forming and other stations to engage the molds on theirhotused in the manual production of pottery ware toms and raise the sameinto co-operation withthe particular instrument or instrumentalities.

Accordingly, when acarrier loaded with empty :short, the installationpermits 01' the establishment of a number of parallel production linesextending from the pug through the various other fabricating and dryingstations and around to the pug, the molds circulating in repeated cycleswithout displacement except where required incidental to fabricatingoperations.

Wheresoever the term fdinnerware shall occur in the appended claims, itshall mean that class of ware such as plates, cups, saucers, etc. asdistinguished from the products of the coarser clay ware arts, viz:bricks, tile, flower pots, etc. Also, Wheresoever the term mold" or"molds" is emv ployed in the appended claims it shall be understood thatthe same shall refer to flatware and/or hollow ware molds. I

I claim: a 1. In apparatus for the manufacture of pctteryware, incombination, a fabricating machine provided with means for fabricatingmore than one piece of ware at a time, conveying means for empty moldslocated adjacent thereto, means for removing molds from said conveyingmeans and transferring the same to said fabricating means,

and means for replacing filled molds on said conveying means. a

2. In a mechanism for conveying mold carriers, diagonally hung moldcarriers, pairs of trunnions thereon, which have their axes parallel,one trunnion on each carrier being advanced in position with relation totheother trunnion thereon, a flexible member disposed in parallelvertical planes, rotary members for supporting said flexible members ineach of said planes, said'rotary members of one plane having their axesadvanced in position with relation to the rotary members of the otherplane, and hooks, on said members, for picking up andpivotallysuspending said trunnions, to convey said carriers to a desireddestination.

3. In apparatus for the manufacture of potteryware the combination whichcomprises, a dryer, a chain conveyor associated therewith, removablemold carriers each adapted to support a plurality of molds associatedwith said conveyor, a jiggering machine including a multiple ofprofiling means located adjacent said conveyor, an intermittentlyoperable conveyor associated with said fabricating machine operable intimed relation with the dryer conveyor, means for removing mold carriersfrom said dryer conveyor and depositing the same on said jiggeringmachine conveyor in transverse parallel alignment whereby the moldsenter and leave the jiggering machine in parallel lines and means forreplacing said carriers with filled moldsthereon on said dryer conveyor.

4. In apparatus for the manufacture of potteryware the combination whichcomprises, a

dryer, a conveyor associated therewith, a jiggering machine locatedadjacent said conveyor, a plurality of trunnioned mold carriers attachedto said conveyor and arranged in transverse parallel alignment, meansfor removing said mold carriers in consecutive order from said conveyor,

a conveyor associated-with said jiggering machine for receiving saidcarriers and travelling the same in transversely spaced relationtherethrough and 4 means engageable with the trunnions of themoldcarriers for reconnecting said mold carriers in original transversealignment to said dryer conveyor.

5. In apparatus for the manufacture of potteryware the combination whichcomprises, a

dryer, a jiggering machine associated with said dryer and a finishingmachine located adjacent said dryer, a conveyor associated with saiddryer, mold carriers detachably associated with said conveyor, means forautomatically transferring mold' carriers from said dryer conveyor tosaid jiggering machine and said finishing machine and means forretransferring said carriers to the machines and said conveyor in timedrelation and means for transferring molds from said conveyor to saidmachines including a mold carrier detachably associated with saidconveyor.

7. In apparatus for the manufacture of potteryware, .the combinationwhich comprises, a

.dryer, an endless conveyor operatingv therein, a

teryware, a dryer, a mold conveyor operating therein, carriersdetachably associated with said conveyor, a ware fabricating machine, aconveyor associated with said ware fabricating machine and having oneend thereof so disposed as to intercept the carriers associated withsaid dryer conveyor, means for actuating said conveyor associated withsaid fabricating machine to travel detached carriers away from saiddryer conveyor and into said fabricating machine, said carriers beingsubsequently reattached to said dryer conveyor'subsequent to travelthrough said fabricating machine;

9. Apparatus for the manufacture of potteryware comprising, incombination, a pottery fabricating machine and a pottery finishingmachine, a dryer having a chain conveyor for molds, means fortransferring empty molds from said finishing machine to said fabricatingmachine, conveying means for travelling molds through said fabricatingmachine operable in the loading of molds onto said chain conveyor,conveying means for travelling molds through said finishing machineoperable in the unloading of molds from said chain conveyor, mechanismfor driving'each of said conveying means and means associated with saidmechanism for varying the travel of said conveying means. 10. Inapparatus for the manufacture of Jiggered potteryware, in combination, afabricating machine provided with means for fabricating more than onepiece of ware at a time, a dryer having a chain conveyor thereinarranged in vertical courses with mold bearing trays supported betweenthe chains of said conveyor, means for removing molds, a tray load at atime, from the chain conveyor in the dryer takeout position, a. conveyorassociated with said fabricating machine adapted to receive the saidmolds and convey the same to the fabricating machine and meansfor'loading filled molds, a tray load at a time, onto the dryerconveyor. 7

11. In apparatus for the manufacture of potteryware, a dryer having achain conveyor for molds, a fabricating machine located at the moldentrance end of the dryer,a finishing machine with conveying meanslocated at the ware takeout end of said dryer, means for loading warefrom the dryer onto thesaid finishing machine, conveyingmeana'intermittently operable means for loading empty-molds onto thefabricating machine and means for loading molds onto the dryer conveyor.

\ I WILLIAM J. MILLER.

